UCSC vs. UC

Should I go to University of California Santa Cruz or University of Cincinnati Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSC or UC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of California Santa Cruz vs. University of Cincinnati Main Campus comparison
University of California Santa Cruz University of Cincinnati Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Cruz University of Cincinnati Main Campus
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Overview

UCSC UC
Location Santa Cruz, CA Cincinnati, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,478 41,155
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #413
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu uc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSC UC
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $11,498
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $26,862
Room & Board $18,185 $12,852
Avg Net Price $17,975 $20,149
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $8,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 64%

Admission

UCSC UC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 29,025
Admitted 30,926 25,024
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 86.2%
Enrolled % 12.5% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33 24/29
SAT Range 1160/1360 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

UCSC UC
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

UCSC UC
Graduation Rate 73% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $45,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $206 $237

Diversity

UCSC UC
% Men 50% 46%
% Women 50% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 75%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 31% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

UCSC UC
% In-State 90% 78%
% Out-of-State 7% 17%

Campus

UCSC UC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (41,155 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSC vs. UC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or UC?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 0.6% more expensive to attend than UC for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,498.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55% higher at UCSC than University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($41,636.00 vs. $26,862.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than UC ($17,975 vs. $20,149)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Cincinnati Main Campus are 41.5% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,852 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (68% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 142.8% larger than aid received University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($21,202 vs. $8,733)

UCSC vs. UC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or UC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC or UCSC .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 36 points higher than at UC (1165)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UC (26)
  • Accepted freshman UC students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • UC has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. UC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC or UC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UC and UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (73% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Cruz earn on average $4,800 more per year than UC graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $45,600)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $3,041 lower median federal student loan debt than UC graduates. ($19,959 vs. $23,000)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than UC graduates. ($206 vs. $237)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/